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I like it a lot and am anticipating seeing it again. (It will probably land at #3 in my top ten movies of 2016 list.) I've also made a transcription of the sheet music for "City of Stars" and have been practicing it every day on my piano.
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Posted: |
Feb 18, 2017 - 12:05 AM
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By: |
DS
(Member)
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I loved the film, and the score/songs are a beautiful homage to Michel Legrand. As a passionate Legrand fan, I didn't expect an homage to him to come out of 2016 Hollywood. My impression is that the "La La Land" soundtrack/score is the most publicly beloved film music in many, many years, to the point where it's a phenomenon. But by and large the film music community seems very, deeply critical and dismissive of Justin Hurwitz's work, with so many people giving it the cold shoulder, and I just don't get it. I suppose many of these people would rather see Michel Legrand himself do a new movie musical (well hell, so would I) but how any lover of Legrand could not be moved by "Planetarium" and "City of Stars" and "Epilogue" is beyond me. And yet, here we are.
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I've seen it 4 times. Once in November before it opened with Emma Stone doing a Q&A with the audience and then 3 more times on an awards screener sent me. I'll probably watch it one more time on the screener before I upgrade to the blu ray when it's released. One of my 3 favorite films of 2016. But as with all critically lauded films, the backlash has already started. It was to be expected.
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Posted: |
Feb 18, 2017 - 5:33 AM
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By: |
afn
(Member)
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I saw the film a couple of days ago. It is actually a pretty much pointless film, to be honest. Does anyone really want to compare this to something like MY FAIR LADY or SHOW BOAT? Real musicals with actual depth? Is it about the impending death of jazz? Or about the old dream of making it big in Hollywood? To me it seems to want so much at the same time it doesn't really deliver anything. A "story" so thin you can see through it, one nice but unremarkable "main" song and a relentlessy moving camera which -and this is really rare for me- constantly took me out of the movie and made me wonder "How did they do that dolly shot or this camera trick, is this movement real or helped by CGI?" THE major overrated movie and score of last year, IMO. (Yes, Thor, I'm quite with you here... ;-)) BTW: A glance at director Chazelle's output so far: 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) (screenplay) Whiplash (2014) (written and directed by) Grand Piano - Symphonie der Angst (2013) (written by) The Last Exorcism 2: The Beginning of the End (2013) (screenplay) (story) Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench (2009) (written and directed by) This guy obviously wants to make a point about music in half of his films: GUY... is about a jazz trumpeter (will check it out) I loved WHIPLASH - a really intense movie about a young man with a dream I enjoyed GRAND PIANO - nonsensical but good fun thriller 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE gave me the creeps - intense claustrophobic story (+ John Goodman!!) THE LAST EXORCISM 2 - saw it but exorcist movies are getting tiresome for me, sorry So I do like some of Chazelle's movies, but LA LA LAND... Oh... Shouldn't the La La Land score be out on... uhmm... LaLaLand? ----------------- RIP IMDB Message Boards Feb 20, 2017 - Shame on everybody involved in this
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Posted: |
Feb 18, 2017 - 6:05 AM
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By: |
Thor
(Member)
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Glad we agree, afn. We seem to be the minority on this. Like you, I've also enjoyed most of Chazelle's previous work, including the wonderful WHIPLASH, which was on my top list that year. 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE was in my 'honorable mentions' list THIS year. GRAND PIANO was a decent thriller potboiler with a wonderful piano concerto/score. I have a number of issues with LLL: I've always struggled with Emma Stone and her "whimsical" characters. I think Ryan Gosling is good when he's appropriately cast; as a leading man in romantic film, he comes off as distant and uncharismatic -- so very little chemistry between the two lovers here. I think the last part of the film is really clichéed and predictable, and fails to have any kind of emotional impact; certainly not on the level that the film expects. I think the long take approach was hokey, much like BIRDMAN (another massively overrated film). The idea of a LAURA-like love theme running through the film is fine, but becomes gimmicky eventually. Many of the other songs seem to lack a bit of structure, and the score is hightpitched, eclectic and grating overall (with a few exceptions). I DO like some aspects of the film, including the photography/lighting, the general "charm" and the ebb and flow of the narrative/situations. But it NEVER manages to rise beyond 'OK' level, IMO.
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I enjoyed LA LA LAND immensely, I think it is a superbly made film, wonderful acting, cinematography, editing and directing, featuring a beautiful score and brilliant songs. Of course, as with every work of art, this is not for everyone. And of course, when something becomes celebrated and popular there will come the backlash by people who did not like the thing and try to find reasons why they are right and the others are wrong. When it´s not about that at all, just personal preference. If you don´t like LA LA LAND then just move on to those films and scores you love. It´s that simple.
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It's pleasant enough musical music. I'm more into movie scores. -
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Posted: |
Feb 18, 2017 - 10:00 AM
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By: |
Morricone
(Member)
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I DO like some aspects of the film, including the photography/lighting, the general "charm" and the ebb and flow of the narrative/situations. But it NEVER manages to rise beyond 'OK' level, IMO. Oh I see we get to come back and elaborate on what we have said. As I said I had reservations watching LALALAND the first time. Particularly around the fact the two leads were not stellar singers and dancers. Since I first saw it I had the chance to see another musical BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS. In it a professional choreographer does quite a few elaborate numbers with some really wonderful dancers. The result was they expressed NOTHING. Kick up here, extend your arm there. While the second time around Ryan Gosling's sometimes awkward moves expressed everything I wanted to know about the character. Ultimately that is what you want to do in a musical. It ain't what you do but the way that you do it. I don't even "get" that comment above that WHIPLASH was about something (a boy with a dream) and this one was pointless. We saw two different movies. Talk about a movie about dreams and how important they are, this is it. Ultimately the musical is one of the hardest things to get right. And clichés abound in even the best ones (SINGIN' IN THE RAIN still has boy meets girl). The THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT films are filled with great musical numbers from some pretty mediocre musicals. The fact that, for me and quite a few others, LALALAND maintains itself pretty much throughout is a major miracle. Predictable? Frankly my wife and quite a few others have been surprised by the ending. May I implore those who are thinking of seeing this please try to see it with some kind of substantial audience. It will still be okay if you don't but, like comedies, this movie feeds on and is enhanced by the audience experience.
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